


Moonlit Memoriam

by KemikaWhizKali



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Character Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags, Past Relationship(s), Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:01:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25610983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KemikaWhizKali/pseuds/KemikaWhizKali
Summary: He was the only one left... until he wasn't, and he found someone in the same situation he was. Back in the year X778, Gray Fullbuster and Juvia Lockser try to save everyone they can, but are they the only ones that were sent back in time?
Relationships: Chelia Blendy & Wendy Marvell, Gray Fullbuster & Juvia Lockser, Gray Fullbuster & Loke, Gray Fullbuster & Ultear Milkovich & Lyon Vastia, Juvia Lockser & Gajeel Redfox, Natsu Dragneel & Gray Fullbuster
Comments: 13
Kudos: 37





	1. Lost Iced Shell

"Natsu, I guess this is goodbye," Gray whispered as he pushed his arms out, right arm above the left, his left palm tilting up while his right palm tilted downwards so that they were both at even height. He'd attempted this enough times to know the motions, how he should hold himself, the stinging pain of cracks forming along his body to turn it to ice, and release his magic. Even if it was a different version of the spell, a more sacred one, it was all the same motions. But this time… this time was different. No one was left to stop him now, or at least, no one left would be able to. The one that always stopped him was Natsu, but Natsu was gone, and the only other being left in this shattered world besides himself was E.N.D. "LOST ICED SHELL!"

E.N.D took a step back, leaning down and building up its magic before shooting towards Gray, arms outstretched with magic crawling over his body to stop Gray. "GRAAAAYY"

"Too slow," Gray smirked before his body shattered and encased E.N.D in ice, the only being that now had any memory that Gray Fullbuster existed.

* * *

Gray woke up with a sudden gasp as he choked up pieces of ice that quickly melted into chunky water. "What is this?" Gray ran his hands across his face, feeling the way his skin was pulled roughly by his own two hands.

Alive, he was _alive_.

Gray released the breath he'd been holding and looked down at the water now jostling in his lap as he forced himself up into a sitting position, catching a glimpse of his reflection in the process.

Oh no.

Yanking the sheets of the bed away, he stumbled into the adjacent bathroom and stared at the child that looked back at him from inside the mirror.

Gray raised a shaking hand and moved it back and forth before reaching up and yanking his hair aside to get a closer look at his face.

Dark blue eyes, a small frame, short arms, and legs... no.

This was him, he was a damn child again.

"Already been through this once," Gray grumbled to himself as he threw his head back, mind briefly flashing to a frozen village filled with giants that looked like demons in a child's eyes.

Stepping out of the bathroom and looking around the place more clearly, Gray could tell he was in an infirmary, though which one, he wasn't sure.

Glancing over to the small tray next to the bed, Gray saw it had nothing on it, but a small backpack rested against it, alongside a shirt.

Absentmindedly grabbing the shirt and putting it on, Gray spent the next minute examining his body to see if he could tell why he was in an infirmary before he got bored and started walking around the room, even if there wasn't much to see.

It was the typical infirmary one would find, well, the typical _guild_ infirmary one would end up in if they were a mage. There wasn't much of a difference except the infirmaries in Guilds kept specific watch over aspects most infirmaries didn't.

Doing another circle of the room, Gray glanced through the window and stopped moving, body going still as if a single movement could shatter his reality.

_It couldn't be..._ This place was **destroyed**.

Gripping the sides of his new shirt, Gray let his head bang against the window as he felt dread infect his every thought.

With a sudden rush of clarity, Gray knew where he was, the town, the building, the very room he's occupied a hundred times before.

Magnolia... Fairy Tail... The _first_ Fairy Tail building.

"So, you're awake, eh?"

Gray spun around, body tensing as his hands gripped his shirt tighter, only for his body to slacken in surprise as his mind went blank, eyes trained on the form of Makarov Dreyar, a dead man walking, not as if Gray could talk much about dead men.

"You look like you've seen a ghost." Master Makarov spoke carefully, a hint of caution entering his tone as his eyes roved over Gray's form that started tensing up again under the scrutiny. "Not that I'm complaining, everyone looked like that when you passed out in the middle of that fight with Natsu." He started snickering to himself at the mental image, ignorant to how the air around Gray grew cooler with each passing second. "He ended up thinking he broke you by accident, silly brat, he wouldn't stop complaining till we got Polyusica to check you out."

"Oh." Gray frowned lightly, dread never leaving him. "And uh, what day is it..." His eyes lit up as he got an idea, an obvious one, but still, think like the bull-headed pyromaniac to get useful answers. Not his worst nor his best idea. "I haven't been asleep for years, have I, I'd hate to miss beating up Natsu for that long."

It left a bad taste in Gray's mouth to talk about fighting Natsu, even if it wasn't a serious fight.

"No, you haven't been asleep for that long." Master Makarov responded, raising a slight eyebrow at Gray calling Natsu by his given name and not an insulting nickname. "It's still X778, not X790, or some crazy number like that, you've been out for... two days. Though I am confused on why you passed out." He started stroking his mustache as he thought on his last words, looking put out. "You're fine now, and there wasn't any reason for it to happen."

Gray forced his expression into his usual indifference as Master Makarov talked some more before ending their conversation, and as soon as he was out of sight, Gray collapsed, feeling drained.

"It's X778... Why is it X778 again?" Gray muttered, shaking his head as he thought back to Master Makarovs' words. "This was not the spell I used."

Everything was reminding him of Ultear and the spell cast during the Grand Magic Games. Was that what was happening? Was life worth this much time? Ultear has given them a minute, now someone else had given them years?

But then why was he the only one that seemed aware, why didn't Master Makarov remember what they'd both been through?

Was he really the only one that was back…? "Guess it's a mystery."

* * *

Gray had spent the night in the infirmary to prepare himself, knowing what he would end up seeing, but he couldn't help keep his eyes from widening as a soft gasp escaped him the moment he stepped out of the infirmary and into the guild.

They... They were _here_.

Discreetly looking around the guild, Gray could see familiar faces that he hadn't seen in years, but at the same time, they were still unfamiliar, younger, happier.

He could see Macao and Wakaba helping Cana with her fortunes, Mira was fighting with Erza, while Natsu, Lisanna, and Elfman were examining Happy's egg from before he was hatched in the center of the guild...

Gray tilted his head towards Natsu and blinked slowly.

Happy was in an egg again, he hasn't been born yet.

That meant...

Gray turned and shook his head with a frown. If this was what he thought it was, and not some crazy after-death dream, then... but he couldn't have really, could he?

"What are you looking at, Droopy eyes?"

"None of your business, flame brain." Gray scowled, walking past Natsu's sudden flaming fist that was aimed at him as he took a seat and ordered some food.

"Gah, what'd you call me you damn stripper!?" Natsu moved to step forward, but Lisanna's hand on his shoulder and Erza's glare from across the room stopped him.

"I've never seen you turn down a fight from Natsu, is your fear of Erza that bad." Master Makarov sniggered as he sat on the bar near Gray.

"I'm just not interested in fighting with that pyromaniac." Gray licked his lips slightly and dug into the food that was given to him to distract himself from the wave of discomfort that he felt at calling Natsu anything but his given name, it felt... wrong.

"Not interested? That's a first, should we start a betting pool for how long that'll last?"

Gray choked slightly on his food, his body feeling like it was on fire as he raised a hand to hover near his mouth. "Shut up, gramps!"

"No need to get so embarrassed, Gray, besides, you two will end up fighting by the end of the day, so there really is no point in placing bets." Master Makarov laughed before moving down the bar to talk to others.

Grimacing, Gray covered his mouth and bit down sharply on his tongue as he used some of his magic to cool down. He'd never done this before, but his mouth felt like it was on fire after eating his food and he didn't know what else to do.

As his insides cooled, Gray released a sigh of relief before looking quizzically at his food.

Gray hadn't corrected Master Makarov that he'd actually started choking because the food had begun burning his insides, he'd sound crazy saying stuff like that, especially since he'd never had a problem with the food served at the guild before.

Poking at the food only brought further confusion for Gray, there was nothing wrong with it. In fact, to him, it felt like the guild was warmer than it had ever been apart from during summer, but it wasn't summer...

Unconsciously, Gray started taking his shirt off until his fingers ghosted over a scar on his lower abdomen that he hadn't had as a child.

"How?" Bowing his head, Gray casually reached up and felt for his other scar, looking into his glass of water to see if it was there in the reflection. It was.

Pushing his seat back, Gray walked out of the guild and gazed upon Magnolia once more, needing to get away before anyone else noticed the new scars on his young body.

* * *

The silence was not something Gray was used to in his old apartment.

There was always some sort of background noise that kept Gray calm whenever he was here.

Whether it be Juvia's soft humming or the sound of Erza baking in his kitchen, there tended to be something. The clicking sound that echoed when they walked, the echo to their voices if they talked too quietly or loudly, it soothed Gray to know he wasn't alone. But now, he was alone.

He was alone in an apartment owned by a child, the only sounds heard being his heavy breathing, and the dripping noise echoing from the tap in the kitchen.

Alone. Alone and Alive.

Gray didn't even know if anyone knew where his apartment was, as a child he'd only told Master Makarov and Erza, who'd both kept it to themselves. Loke had lived here at one point, and other than them, though she'd already known, he'd personally told Juvia himself where he lived after the Grand Magic Games.

No one else knew. Before Magnolia had been destroyed, Gray was sure Natsu had an idea of the area he lived in, as the dragon-slayer made it a goal to try and follow Gray every now and then.

He's not sure if Natsu ever found out which apartment was his, he doubted it, then again, it didn't matter now.

Magnolia had ended up as nothing but a pile of rubble in the end.

Flinching at his own thoughts, Gray turned and opened his front door, making it several steps away before he stopped and turned back, body trembling.

Why had he bothered doing that? Juvia wasn't around anymore, his Juvia had died protecting him, she wouldn't show up at Gray's door like old times, waiting outside in case he needed company and opened the door, no matter how much he wished she would. They wouldn't comfort each other in the dead of night, curled up together with the comfort of knowing they weren't the only ones still alive, the reminder there was someone else with them... It was all gone.

Slamming a fist into the wall, Gray tried to force back the tears that threatened to fall. He shouldn't-

The front door creaked, a soft clicking sound echoing as someone took two steps into his apartment. "Gray-Sama?"

Gray sucked in a sharp breath as his body spun around to face the one who'd consumed his thoughts mere moments before.

"Juvia."


	2. Unison Raid

Juvia hadn't known how she'd found herself sitting under a tree with a teru teru bozu doll in her hands, or how she'd ended up as a small child again with a gloomy aura.

She hadn't thought much about it, at first, she'd only known one thing.

She needed to find Gray, her lifeline, her savior, the last person she'd seen before her world had enveloped itself in darkness.

Juvia found out where she was swiftly and made her trek towards Magnolia, one foot moving in front of the other automatically as her thoughts swirled and her hands played with the doll in her grasp.

Juvia remembered the day she'd made her first teru teru bozu doll, how she'd weakly heard her parents' voices whispering in another room. She'd still thought they loved her on some level. Though she hardly saw them, the images stayed in her memory forever, their hollow words and vacant looks when she walked in the room, and the rain followed after her, she couldn't forget, she wouldn't forget.

She hadn't suspected a thing as she made more and more dolls, the pile ever growing in her room as she started to frantically sew more together, the drip-drop of rain outside her window too _**loud**_.

In the end, Juvia had hope. It had wavered the day her parents had left her, but it hadn't vanished completely. They'd acted odd for a month before they'd walked her to the park at their usual distance, one of their few interactions with her, and then they'd left. She'd waited until the clouds covering the sky grew darker and darker, and her nails had dug into her hands enough to draw blood after hours of listening to the cruel voices of parents and annoyed children talking about all the rain that _**wouldn't stop**_.

The pitter-patter the droplets of her blood made as they hit the ground in tune with the rain was enough to make her stand and start a slow, steady walk towards her home. She hadn't expected it to be empty, void of life. The only room that looked like someone had lived in it had been her own, but not in the way she wanted. Everything she owned was gone, all she had were the clothes on her back, her umbrella, and a pile of teru teru bozu dolls that were torn apart in her rage, the only things her parents had left behind, and a sign she'd always be alone.

For weeks she sat in an empty house, starving herself as she nibbled on small amounts of food, and she hoped, begged for her parents to come home. Her hope started dying as her body decayed, and then it was gone as though it had never been there in the first place. As suddenly as her self-destruction had started it abruptly ended when her feet were digging into the ground as people dragged her off to an orphanage, complaints of the rain said in low voices that made her want to claw at her ears to force herself to stop listening.

The orphanage, that was where she'd woken up, back in a dark past as a small, powerless child, hiding behind a tree to cry her tears unseen and unheard.

Juvia sighed at her memories, tapping a calming rhythm against the side of her umbrella that was raised high above her head.

It was raining a lot lately, but it hadn't been caused by her this time, it hadn't been her fault to shoulder the blame for a long time.

This rain was natural, almost as though it was saying 'hello' and welcoming her back to the land of the living, it gave off the impression it had missed her, and the thought warmed Juvia's heart.

Doing a slight twirl as she stepped in a puddle, Juvia shut her eyes as droplets of rain splashed around her, she felt like was in a dream, thoughts tinged with nostalgia and happiness when her mind flashed to Gray, the one who'd given her the world.

Juvia had no idea what to do when she found Gray, but all she knew was that she needed to see him.

Thinking of him made her hope blossom, and she wouldn't have it die out again this time as her soul had.

* * *

"Oh, it's raining again," Juvia whispered to herself, reaching out from the confines of her umbrella to let the rain dribble down her arm, allowing it to caress her skin in greeting. "Old friend, do you remember Juvia? Have you come back with Juvia, is that why you greet her so often?"

Drip Drip Drop

"Juvia wishes she could express her gratitude towards you better..."

Drip Drip Drop

"Gray-sama will help Juvia find a way to say thank you, she's sure of it."

Drip Drip Drop

"Gray-sama said he'd be there for Juvia."

Drip Drip Drop

"But..."

Drip Drip Drop

"Will Gray-sama remember Juvia?"

Drip Drip Drop

"No, Gray-sama wouldn't forget."

Drip Drip Drop

"He... He promised to never leave Juvia alone with the darkness."

Drip Drip Drop

"Gray would never leave me..."

Drip Drop Drip Drop Drop

* * *

Juvia looked up at the shabby, abandoned tavern with a small smile.

From the moment she'd spotted Magnolia she'd unconsciously changed her destination to here. The second Fairy Tail building.

They'd only been here for a few months, but Juvia had tended to come here long after they'd moved back to their old guild.

It was her proof that her new family wouldn't abandon her, that Gray wouldn't be the only one to stay with her.

Everyone that had been here when they'd returned from the island cared, they'd waited seven years for them here, an attempt to stay on their feet and keep Fairy Tail alive. It was unstable, and they were breaking from the inside, but they'd still stayed.

Reaching out, Juvia let out a shaky breath as she moved a hand along the worn, wooden doors, it was moments like these that she felt alive, and Juvia welcomed the feeling, even as her heart stung with pain at the thought of her new family not knowing who she is now. The teasing rain tried to keep her in the present, reappearing when she needed comfort, it would stay until she found Gray, then he could take over and reassure her this all wasn't a dream.

He had to remember her because Gray was the one who had shown her the light, and she couldn't live without him in her life.

She couldn't wait years to meet him again, painfully trying to rebuild their bond. Juvia hadn't quite accepted this to be her reality, and she refused to do so, not until she saw Gray, her fate was in his hands, forever and always.

Drip Drop Drip

Juvia's tears mixed in with the rain, and she ran. Her fate was his to decide.

* * *

"May I help you?" The armor-clad mage asked her, hand on the hilt of her sword.

"Juvia is fine." Juvia blinked dumbly, tilting her head at the figure of Erza Scarlet who approached her, eyes misting over as her hands twitched, images of corpses and a spear flickering briefly in her mind. "I haven't been to Magnolia in a while, so I'm, um, Juvia is simply taking it all in!"

"Oh, I see. Have you been to the guild before?" Erza inquired casually, gesturing towards the guild that Juvia had been staring at for hours.

"Once or twice..." Juvia murmured sadly, sighing deeply. "It's different."

"Different?"

"Nevermind." Juvia shook her head firmly, fingers tapping out a frantic rhythm behind her back. "Juvia was wondering if Gray-sama is here?"

"Gray?" Erza repeated softly. "Do you know Gray?" At Juvia's affirmation, she continued. "Gray is in the infirmary, he passed out recently, would you like to wait in the guild?"

"N-NO!" Juvia shouted, hands twisting tighter around her umbrella as fear enveloped her before she calmed down. As much as she wished to be near Gray, she didn't want to do anything, just in case. "Gray-sama will know Juvia is here. I'll find him on my own when he wakes up."

Juvia didn't hear Erza's response as she turned and stalked away, clouds gathering in the sky as the rain comforted her.

Drip Drip Drop Drop Drip

* * *

Juvia smiled as she watched Gray walk into his apartment, tilting her head up to stare at the stars scattered amongst clear skies, not a single rainy cloud present.

It was giving her space, knowing she needed to do this alone.

She was thankful, on some level.

Stretching, Juvia hopped down the empty street, twirling her open umbrella in wide arcs, she kept half an eye on the door to Gray's apartment, and another on where her feet were moving.

She was lucky she'd had most of the day to find Gray's apartment again, Magnolia had so many different shops in this time, it made her wonder how some of them had disappeared, a couple looked rather interesting.

Juvia's hand reached down and scrapped the surface of a puddle.

Drip

Gray's front door opened and Juvia scrambled to straighten herself.

Drip

Juvia closed her umbrella as a single tear trailed down her cheek and splashed into the puddle below her.

Drop

* * *

"Gray-sama?"

"Juvia."

Juvia took a step into the apartment, shutting the door softly behind her as she stared at Gray. From the moment their eyes had connected neither of them had looked away, both afraid the other would vanish if they did.

"Does Gray-sama remember me...?" Juvia tried to stop herself, but when Gray gave her a silent nod of confirmation with distressed eyes, she ran, she ran with tears flowing from her eyes and wrapped her arms around him, grip tightening and loosening as she spoke. "Juvia knew Gray-sama wouldn't forget, Gray-sama couldn't forget Juvia, not-"

"Juvia" Gray's arms wrapped themselves around her as his tears joined hers beneath them. "This is real, isn't it? We're both here, and we're both alive."

Drip Drip Drop

They continued whispering to each other for what felt like an eternity before they'd reassured themselves the other wouldn't leave, untangling their forms from one another, and moving to sit down.

"You saw Erza?"

"Yes, Erza said you were in the guilds infirmary." Juvia frowned, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm better now." Gray glanced out the window, a thoughtful expression on his face. "I think that's how I ended up back here. I was fighting E.N.D, I... used a version of Iced-Shell, and then I woke up in the infirmary. Juvia, you-"

"Juvia died." She whispered, curling into herself. "J-Juvia remembers seeing Gray-sama fighting, Juvia tried to do a Unison Raid with Erza to protect you, but..."

"Erza died, and the connection snapped." Gray cut in dully. "You two were connected, so you also died, but you still managed to block a blow that was going to kill me before that happened. Thank you."

"Juvia is glad she protected you, but I don't know what good it did, Juvia, I... We're back here now."

"X778, I managed to get it out of gramps with a joke. But is it even good that we're back here? It's years until anything happens."

"We can try." Juvia fiddled slightly with her doll. "If Gray-sama and Juvia are here, someone else might remember!"

"Wouldn't that be great." Gray snorted. "When did you end up back here then?"

"A week ago, Juvia left to find Gray-sama as soon as she could!" Juvia grinned. "Not even love-rival would devote herself to finding Gray-sama so soon, right?"

"Yeah, she'd be trying to find Natsu after freaking out." Gray released a laugh that made Juvia's heart soar before they both sobered. "You really think someone else came back with us?"

"Does Gray-sama truly believe we are alone?" Juvia countered, tilting her head to the side in consideration. "Juvia will treat this as her new reality because Gray-sama is here with her, before joining Phantom Lord I moved around a lot, so I'll find others to help us!"

"Is that so?" Gray smiled grimly. "Then, you win."

"Eh?"

"You said it yourself." Gray smiled at Juvia's dumbfounded expression, slowly taking off his shirt. "Honestly, you can accept stuff a lot easier than I can, so if you're accepting this all to be real, then I'll try to do the same, and we'll both try to find others that remember."

"Thank you. Gr..." Juvia trailed off, reaching out to touch the scar on Gray's abdomen. "Gray-sama got this on Tenrou, why is it now on your body?"

"I think scars come back with us." Gray's eyes softened as he lightly grasped her hand. "It's not a bad thing. I may have to hide it, would be hard to explain why my 'new' scars look so old when I've never even had a wound as bad as this." He raised her hand to brush aside his hair that was partially covering his other scar. "I'm lucky no one noticed this one, but it'll be a constant reminder for me that everything that happened wasn't a dream and that we're not in a dream now... that counts for something."

"Maybe you should move your hair like this?" Juvia laughed, moving some of Gray's hair to mostly cover his left eye. "Now no one will see the scar on your face, and all you have to do is keep your clothes on to hide the other one! You also look like Rogue and Freed, though their hair covers the right side of their faces..." Juvia trailed off with a frown, staring at Gray's eye that was now hidden by his hair. "Gray-sama, do you think scars are all that came back?"

"What do you mean by that?" Gray asked, examining his reflection in the window as he moved some more hair in front of his eye. "It's not a bad look."

"Juvia means like this." Juvia took a deep breath and raised her hands to give both of them a clear view. "Water-make: Flower"

As Juvia's magic manipulated water into the shape of a flower, Gray reached out and gently tapped the side, causing it to turn to ice. "How long have you been able to do this?"

"Juvia wasn't able to do this when she was younger, but Juvia now can." Juvia twirled the icy flower in her hands. "Juvia does not recall Gray-sama freezing her water when he touched it before, and this is not the usual ice you use."

"You're right. It's not my Maker Ice, man, I've only been awake for a day, and this is getting confusing." Gray complained with a smirk. "I can use _it_ , but it's weaker. My Ice-make feels like the same as it was before, but my slayer stuff..."

"Juvia thinks it may have to do with Gray-sama being a child again, it is harder to use than most magic, and Gray-sama mentioned it being... dangerous."

Gray sighed heavily "That could be it, but I just feel like there's more to it than that."

They stayed silent after that, both staring at the frozen flower between them.

"...Gray-sama…"

"Yeah?"

"You won't leave Juvia alone in this world, will you?"

"Never again, I promise."


	3. The Year X778

Juvia hadn't stayed long in Magnolia, leaving to find others that remembered as soon as she gained an idea on how to find them.

The short time they'd had together had been used buying what was needed for Juvia's journey with what money they could spare, and in general spending time together, falling back into their old routines as best as they could. They'd even found a clearing in the forest on the outskirts of Magnolia that they'd set up to train.

They didn't have a plan on how to find others, it seemed to be something more to pass the time for now. Juvia decided to visit areas that had been important in the future, whether they be guilds, towns, or future battlefields. The main priority was to stay unnoticed. They'd gone over everything they could, writing what they thought to be significant down, and determining which areas Juvia should stay away from. What Juvia had to avoid at all costs included Tartaros, The Tower of Heaven, Tenrou Island, and The Alvarez Empire, to name a few.

It all came down to the fact that if Juvia found anyone like them, she'd try to arrange a meeting for all of them to meet, though both of them doubted that would be happening anytime soon.

Since Gray was already in Fairy Tail and Juvia still had years before she had to join Phantom Lord, Gray had been elected to listen, as Fairy tail was a center for Information, he'd be the first to know if someone else had changed something in the timeline.

After much debate, they'd both bought a surveillance and communications lacrima each, making Gray's job more manageable, and allowing them to stay in contact.

"Juvia wishes Gray-sama luck." Juvia had whispered into his ear, so quiet he could barely hear her.

"Be safe, Juvia."

* * *

"Ice, Water, Spirit, Iron, Wind, light. Why do those always show up in the same order?"

* * *

"C'mon, Gray! You haven't been to the guild all week." Cana complained, dragging him through the guild doors and shoving him into a seat. "You promised you'd help me with my fortunes today, and you're not getting out of it!"

"When'd I make that promise?" Gray asked as Cana drew out her pack of cards and started practicing. "I don't remember promising to that."

"Well, you did." Cana gave him a smug grin as they sat in silence with Gray watching her flip cards over occasionally. "All my readings have been wrong this week."

"Why's that?"

"I'm not sure." Cana frowned, "I remember I predicted you and Natsu would fight again tomorrow, but neither of you showed up at the guild."

"Don't base your results on Natsu fighting me, that doesn't count." Gray glanced up at her. "What do your cards say for today?"

" Happiness or great despair. Apparently, everyone should be at the guild today too."

"I think we'll get the Happy part of that, not sure about despair or everyone coming in today, though."

"Hmm, well, you're here, so it might be true." Cana smiled, glancing up at him with poorly concealed hurt and confusion. "Gray, why weren't you in the guild all week? I-It's not really my business, but..."

"I ran into an old friend, so I spent the week with her."

"Oh." Cana reverted her gaze back down to her cards, flipping another one over, death. "That must have been nice."

"Sorry," Gray whispered softly, he had almost forgotten how much Cana changed in the future when as a child, she'd spent most of her time with him and Elfman. Macao and Wakaba taught her magic and took care of her on some level, but he supposed that wasn't the same. When she wasn't with friends, she spent her days being sad, suffocating in her own thoughts, and falling into depression. "You know, she left this morning, so I have more time to help with your fortunes if you want."

"I'd like that," Cana smiled, another card being flipped over. "We can invite Elfman too."

Gray smiled, opening his mouth to respond before he was distracted by the doors to the guild being thrown open by Natsu with Lisanna trailing in after him. "Who is it?! Who stole our egg?!"

Cana waved her arms rapidly in front of herself as soon as Natsu looked at them " I don't know anything about it, Natsu! Neither does Gray!"

"Erza, cough it back up! Laxus?!"

"Where did that accusation come from?!"

"Not interested."

"Demon?! Macao?! Wakaba?! Gramps?!"

"WHY WOULD ANY OF US TAKE IT?!"

"I wonder where the egg went." Cana looked down and flipped over another card, eyeing it curiously. "Do you think my fortunes can go into that much detail?"

"Not sure, I think they can." Gray's instincts kicked in, and he instantly pulled Cana away from their table seconds before Natsu's body smashed into it. "Watch where you're going!"

"My cards! Natsu!" Cana screamed, reaching down to pick them up with Gray's help.

"He's lucky he didn't dent them," Gray fussed, a slight smile making its way onto his face as Cana responded.

"If he had, he'd have to give up food to pay for a new set." Cana huffed, taking the cards he'd picked up. "Thanks for the help, Gray."

"Natsu, Lisanna, I'm sorry. I didn't steal it." Elfman's voice echoed across the guild as he walked into the guild with Happy's egg in his arms. "I just thought it would be hard for the two of you to keep it warm, it gets cold at night, right?"

"Thanks so much, Elfman!" Lisanna cheered as Elfman carefully set Happy's egg down.

"Elfman had the egg?" Cana blinked in surprise, "That's actually really sweet."

"Isn't everything Elfman does sweet?" Gray questioned, frowning as he compared future Elfman to present Elfman. "Well, the intention never changes."

"Gray, look!" Cana grasped his hand, tugging on it as she pointed with her other hand towards Happy's egg, which was now cracking open. "It's hatching!" She grinned before pouting slightly. "Everyone's crowding around the poor thing, we won't be able to see anything."

Gray glanced behind them. "Then let's make sure we have the best view." Gray gestured for Cana to follow him as they moved to stand on one of the tables, giving them a clear view of the egg. "What do you think it's gonna be?"

"I don't know, maybe a dog!" Cana beamed before her expression shifted to shock as the flying cat Happy emerged from the egg. "Well, I wasn't too far off..."

"Aye!"

"Let's name him Happy, Happy the Dragon!"

"Whatever it is, it isn't a dragon!" Cana and Gray cried out alongside other guild members with a laugh, and Gray's head spun, hearing Cana laugh, so similar to the moment she'd thrown herself off of a cliff after Gildarts death.

Glancing over at Reedus, he hoped the painter wouldn't notice how forced his smile became, he didn't want to ruin one of his precious memories again.

* * *

"Juvia saw Lyon-sama."

"How'd he look?"

"Juvia thinks Lyon-sama is better when he meets Juvia later."

"Yeah, right now, he should be... _way_ too arrogant for my taste."

"Gray-sama shouldn't be mean to his- "

"I know."

* * *

"Go on a job with me!" Natsu demanded, slamming a job request in front of Gray.

"WHAT?!" Gray jerked back in his seat to put distance between them as Natsu leaned further over the table. "The hell is wrong with you, flame-brain?"

"Nothing Ice-Block, now go on this job with me!" Natsu grinned slightly, oblivious to the way half the guild had fallen out of their seats. "C'mon, don't make me have to ask again."

"Tch," Gray tilted his head away, a flush rising. "Fine. When?"

"NOW!" Natsu shouted with glee, leaping over the table and dragging Gray out of the guild. "Let's go!"

"Aye!" Happy chirped from the bar, snacking on a fish as the doors slammed shut.

"Stop dragging me, Natsu!" Gray yanked his arm out of Natsu's grip. "I can walk on my own."

Natsu blinked at Gray.

"What?" Gray shifted on his feet, pulling the mission out of Natsu's loose grip before freezing. "Acalypha town?"

"Hmm, yeah." Natsu jolted back to reality and tilted his head, closely watching as Gray shivered. "It's not far so we can walk, and we'll be back within the week, and then Happy won't be lonely. Unless you want to do a different job?"

"No, it's fine, let's start walking."

_Love and Lucky_

_Lucy_

"Ha, you'll really walk? Alright, I'm all fired up now!"

_Lucky Lucy_

* * *

"Are you going to join Phantom Lord?"

"Forgive Juvia, but Juvia wishes to be with Gajeel when he joins Fairy Tail, Juvia will not leave him alone."

"That's fine, Juvia, I don't mind, but... if you'd like we can meet up every now and then, not often, but when we need each other..."

"I'd like that, to spend more time with you, Gray-sama, thank you."

* * *

Juvia walked out of the town that hosted the Lamia Scale guild with tired eyes, absentmindedly fiddling with her doll and umbrella.

It was delicate, her current mission. Juvia had no hints to tell her who she was supposed to be looking for, no help, no company, nothing.

She'd been lucky finding Yuka, Sherry, and Toby on her first day in the town, talking in hushed whispers about a cold emperor.

_Lyon_

It helped a lot, following the three for up to a week. They talked about recent exploits concerning their guild, Lyon and his followers, and small comments about Chelia occasionally.

She never approached them, why would she? They couldn't remember.

No one from Lamia Scale remembered.

The only one that she'd approach after confirming they couldn't remember would have been Gray, but he'd remembered her, just as she'd hoped.

Juvia created mantras in her head on what she considered useful, writing down what parts influenced her decision on where she'd go next, and discarding what she could from her mind.

 _Not all information was useful._ _Something Master Jose had told her once._

Pulling out her map and notebook, Juvia crossed off Margaret town and jotted down a note to revisit when Chelia was older and to keep an eye out for a blue-haired dragon that tripped on air.

If she remembered, this would be her first stop, though Juvia couldn't tell why it would be, as that was what concerned her. She'd either be coming here out of guilt, fear or to confirm this to be real like Juvia had done with Gray.

Juvia hoped she wouldn't come here out of guilt.

* * *

"Lamia Scale?"

"Juvia believes one of them might remember."

"Makes sense then, to check back in."

"Juvia hopes one will remember, a god or dragon would be helpful, and they were both happy, before..."

**"I don't want to think about it."**

* * *

"Hey, you got food on you?" Natsu poked Gray's arm. "You feel cold, like ice cream!"

"..."

"No, that's not right." Natsu poked Gray again. "You feel like... a block of ice!" Natsu punched a fist in the air. "Yahoo! That's it, right? Right? But how'd that happen? Did you actually freeze yourself in a block of ice?! So dumb!"

"Get real, Natsu!"

"I am definitely serious!"

"So am I!"

"No, you're not, Ice Princess!" Natsu pointed to his nose with a grin. "The nose doesn't lie. The air around you smells colder, and so do you, like you turned yourself into some cold ice, like super freeze!"

"Shut up Natsu, it's none of your business!" Gray spun around and ran off, just hearing Natsu's whispered question.

"Why'd you call me Natsu again?"

Gray ran as far as he could before he stumbled in front of a river, his breathing sharp and breathless as he tried to calm his racing heart.

This was all wrong, he was supposed to be nothing more than a block of ice with the only being that knew of his existence being encased in said ice forever.

He couldn't be here, acting like nothing was wrong.

"Hey, popsicle?"

Gray turned his head, catching a glimpse of Natsu before he turned back to the river. "What?"

"Uh," Natsu punched Gray in the side as he sat down, scratching his head a bit. "It's pretty cool, I'll admit, maybe it just feels colder around you because it's getting into winter, and... I..."

"Don't bother with your dumbass way of apologizing, I'll get over it."

"You sure?" Natsu plopped his head on the ground. "I didn't know it was personal."

"I..." Gray looked down at his hands, thinking. As much as he went along with Juvia, that didn't stop his thoughts wandering. This is real, but what could they change? He hadn't gone back to before Fairy Tail, where he'd be able to save multiple lives, like Ultear and Lyon. "You can..." Gray bit his tongue, looking up to see his warped vision in the water. A child again. "I don't mind if... if you ask me personal things, it doesn't bother me anymore."

_It hadn't bothered him for a while._

"Oh, you sure?" Natsu looked up at him through half-lidded eyes. "Used to always bother you. Is it cause your friend visited?" He closed his eyes in concentration, steam coming out of his ears. "The one with the doll and umbrella. Oh! She also had blue hair, right?"

"How do you know that?" Gray sputtered

"Nose." Natsu tapped his nose with a lazy grin. "It never lies. I passed her on her way out of town. She smelled a bit like you. Wasn't it obvious?"

"You owe me for this stupid mission." Gray gruffly spoke as he stood up.

* * *

Juvia imagined visiting her love rival when she tried to sleep, the idea becoming more appealing each time she looked back on her memories with the rain whispering questions to her about spirits.

_Could a spirit remember?_

_Can even time reverse the destruction of celestial keys?_

_Would the contracts of the future be kept? Or would they vanish as though they'd never been there in the first place?_

_What would happen to Gray's friend if-_

Drip Drip Drop

* * *

The Celestial Spirit mage walked through the ruined village with a sigh, spinning one of her keys in her hand.

The Celestial Spirit mage wondered if she was the only one back in the past and if her spirits remembered.

It would be nice if they did, she would have someone to talk to.

"I should get more keys, gold ones most likely, if I wish to do anything worthwhile on borrowed time."

She looked down at her current collection, she only had one gold key.

"I wonder if spirits know where other keys are?"

Looking up at the dark skies, she raised the key high above her head.

"If not, I'll go of the stories we told each other on how we found our keys."

It hadn't meant much, a whispered conversation between three mages that knew they were going to die, looking back nostalgically on the moments they'd gained the gates to their faithful companions.

She supposed it was luck that she could recall that conversation.

The key glowed as she thought back on the stories they'd all shared.

_Currently unobtainable: Capricorn, Loke, Aries, Virgo._

_Not owned by anyone: Gemini, Taurus, Sagittarius, Pisces._

She wondered how hard it would be to gather them, now as a child again, compared to how she used to search for keys.

_People underestimate children._

"Open. Gate of the-"

* * *

"Juvia's magic is acting differently."

"Mine too.

"What should Juvia and Gray-sama do?"

"..."

"Gray-sama?"

"stay safe, please."

* * *

Natsu deserved some torture, he owed Gray after their… emotional talk.

The train was a suitable tool to use for punishing him.

But at the same time, Gray owed Natsu for caring.

"Hey, Natsu."

"Hmm?"

"About Igneel."

Natsu's face immediately twisted into a scowl. "Don't- "

"I think you'll find him one day."

"W-What?"

"Just a hunch." Gray smiled, hopping onto the train to take them back to Magnolia.

* * *

"What will Gray-sama do about Lyon-sama?"

"He can do what he wants, for now, I won't do anything to him until he's done with the moon drip."

"You'll release the demon?"

"It's already dead, and everyone that followed that idiot to the island needs to know it's gone for good."


	4. Juvia and the Golden Key

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, I'm still on hiatus, but I've decided to do a special update on all my stories for my birthday, which is today, so enjoy!

"What about Tenrou Island?"

Juvia frowned into the lacrima. "What about it, Gray-sama?"

"Should one of us stay behind?"

"Stay behind?" Juvia repeated. "That's... That's seven years. Could Juvia or Gray-sama even handle that much time?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure, but the guild suffered badly while all of us were gone last time." Gray paused, likely gathering his thoughts. "We should at least find a way to get someone to stay behind, but that sounds..."

"Selfish." Juvia finished for him.

"Yeah." Gray lowered his voice. "If we can't handle it after everything we've been through, then it feels wrong to pick two people and end up sabotaging them to get them to stay."

"Gray-sama... you're right." Juvia shook her head firmly, determination seeping into her voice. "If anyone is to stay, it is us!"

"So that's settled?" Gray sounded hesitant, and it caused Juvia's heart to ache. "When the time comes, we stay behind, wait the seven years?"

"...Yes." They stayed silent for a moment before Juvia continued speaking. "About Galuna Island, Juvia never went, but love rival-" _Unfortunately._ "told Juvia what happened. Should Juvia do anything?"

"No. Erza, Natsu, Happy, and Lucy have to be away from the guild when Phantom Lord attacks. Lyon also needs his space, as long as he keeps collecting followers, then when the time comes, everyone can rest easy seeing Deliora dead."

"..." Juvia held her breath as she thought of something. "Will Gray-sama help Lyon?"

"..."

"Gray."

"Not directly." Silence. "I haven't thought this through, but I'm not going to fight Lyon unless he forces me to, and... I'll try to stop the others from interfering with the ritual."

"You're serious?"

"I'll head out for the island a few days before them, that'll get Erza sent in to stop them sooner."

"Gray-sama, you say you haven't thought about this much, but you have." Juvia pressed her back against a tree as she stared into the lacrima with a troubled look. "How much does this worry you?"

"I have to go."

The call ended.

* * *

Gajeel groaned, staring down at the pile of scrap metal he'd found.

"Travelling sucks."

He hadn't expected it to be so difficult getting back into the mindset of traveling peacefully without raiding every house he came across.

He hated having to physically remind himself that every place he passed wasn't abandoned, no one was going to try and kill him for just existing.

It was such a hassle.

"This is all Natsu's fault." Because when in doubt, blame the flame-brain.

Biting down into his less than satisfactory meal, Gajeel looked over the map he'd swiped from some tourists, frowning in concentration.

"Could find Juvia." Juvia wouldn't join Phantom Lord for another year.

"Lily?" Edolas and that wasn't even in Fiore. He had no way of getting to his cat for a couple of years. "Always last to get a cat..."

"Bunny girl..." Locked away in her mansion with her annoying dad.

"Wendy..." At some made-up guild in a random forest that he had no hope of finding, at all.

Other than those four, there was no one he was close to, and everyone else was at Fairy Tail, even...

Gajeel scowled, swiftly standing up as the map was crushed in his grasp. "No, it can't be too hard to find at least Wendy. How hard can it be to find some forest in Fiore!"

He tried to ignore how his mind kept flashing to the body he'd cradled in his grasp as he listened to a set of dying heartbeats.

"Don't need Levy, not yet, not now."

* * *

Juvia visited five more towns before stopping at a stream, collapsing next to it with a long-suffering sigh as she stared up at the ever-present rain. "Why is this so hard..."

Juvia wondered if Gray was having any luck finding information, but this was Gray, so he must be doing well, right?

He'd told her about his jobs with Natsu, who she briefly considered a love rival before dismissing the idea, but the jobs seemed to help ground Gray into this time.

When she meets Natsu, should she give him something as a thank you?

She only ever got gifts for Gray, and there was one time she gave a present to Lucy, but that was more of an apology than anything.

Was that a gift? She hadn't thought it was because Juvia had never really given them to anyone before, and she'd never received any.

Gajeel had tried once or twice, but neither of them knew how they were supposed to do it without it being awkward, so they invited each other on jobs instead.

It had been pleasant.

But how does one give a gift or choose what to give?

Turning over, Juvia stared into the water, watching as it rippled with each drop of rain that hit it before her attention turned to the gold key lodged between two rocks a fish was swimming around. "Huh?"

Standing up, Juvia flicked her hand and watched as the water parted to give her access to the glimmering key.

Dislodging it, Juvia blinked at the gold celestial spirit key now in her hand. "Why give this to me?" Looking up at the rain, she pointed down to the stream she'd been sitting next to with a frown. "Is this a sign? Spirit Mage?"

Drip Drip Drop

"Why go silent when I need you?" She sighed, "Never simple." Looking back down at the key, she examined it further. "The bull was... That pervert." Juvia twitched. "Why give me this key of all of the keys?"

Drip Drip Drop

"Hmm, Lucy owned the pervert, is she Juvia's next stop?" Grimacing, Juvia pocketed the key and started her trek for Heartfilia Manor. "Maybe Juvia's gift to Natsu will be Juvia's love rival, and then love rival never go after my beloved Gray-sama again!"

* * *

A rumour about a rain-woman, unbelievable.

The latest piece of gossip in the Fairy Tail guild was about a rain-woman walking around Fiore.

Gray banged his head onto the table with a sigh, the one change he's heard about to the timeline, and it's his stalker's fault.

"Gray, let's go on a job!"

"No, Gray promised to help me with my fortunes!

"He helped you with those last month!"

"Could I spend time with Gray instead? We recently found an interesting egg that Levy and Lisanna were going to help us identify..."

"No, it was two months ago, and we were interrupted because you dragged him off on a job!"

"Did not!"

"Are you two arguing?"

"Stay out of it, Erza!"

"NATSU!"

"Why would you even shout at Erza?"

"Shut up."

NATSU!"

"STOP HITTING ME, YOU MANIAC!"

"NATTSSSUUUU!

"Idiot."

This is what he gets for trying to be friends with everyone.

Why had he even offered to work on information?

He should've gone with Juvia when he had the chance.

* * *

Juvia bit her lip as she stared up at the spirit standing before her. "Hello."

"You should be careful around here." The spirit looked over his shoulder. "My owner won't be so kind if she knows you have a spirit key on you."

"How do you know I have one?"

"Spirits can tell who's a spirit and who's not just by looking at them, same goes for a key, though right now I can only sense it on you."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I'm not sure I want a child to be hurt."

"STUPID SPIRIT!"

"Your owner doesn't sound pleasant."

"She isn't, especially when I'm around, which is saying a lot because I find myself charming."

"Sad."

"I have to go." The spirit started to run in the direction of the voice.

"Thank you for the advice!" Juvia called after him with a wave.

The spirit turned back to her with an odd look. "You're thanking me? So, there are kind people around." The spirit laughed. "Lately, I've been finding that fact hard to believe. Maybe I should be thanking you."

Juvia's lips curved into a small smile as she watched him leave. "I wonder when you'll end up as Lucy's friend... If you will remember this." Her hand dipped into her pocket to run her cold fingers over her hidden key. "Lucy's friend, hmm, I'm growing soft on love rival."

* * *

"Wendy."

"Wow, you can talk already?" She giggled, "How amazing."

"Wendy."

"Do you like the name I gave you? I hope you don't mind, it's-"

"Wendy!" Carla's voice had a hint of desperation now.

"Sorry." Wendy's smile shook, "What is it, Carla?"

"I _remember_."

"I'm sorry?" She froze. "I don't understand."

"Wendy, please, I-"

"Maybe you don't understand what you're saying, you are a new-born, and this is the first time you've said anything-"

"Wendy."

"I h-have to go." She stood and dusted off her dress before running out of the room. "I'll have someone watch over you! Sorry!"

"Wendy..." Carla looked down, tears escaping her eyes. "Why won't you even look at me anymore?"

_Because I'm guilty and don't want you to know what I did._


End file.
